‘Room for any and all;’ Shelters preparing as extreme cold weather plan goes into effect

Montgomery County has activated its extreme cold weather plan and several shelters are opening their doors for people to stay warm.

St. Vincent De Paul is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week where people can find shelter from the cold.

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“We’ve got room for any and all that need a place to be,” John King, the Assistant Director of Mission Advancement at St. Vincent De Paul said.

King told News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson that last year they saw around 530 guests on average each night.

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“And we’re seeing that trend continue into 2024. We’re the only shelters open to the general population,” King said.

Volunteers like Matthew Graybill are crucial in making sure guests get three warm meals a day, a warm bed, and clothes.

“They’re such good people. They’re always thanking us for what we do and the food that we can give them,” Graybill said.

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Graybill has been a volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul for twenty years.

“It’s really about giving back, it’s doing what god really kind of expects from us,” Graybill said.

Graybill worked at Dayton Children’s Hospital before he retired, and now he volunteers at both the Men’s and Women’s and Family Center. Both of those shelters are a part of the Emergency Cold Weather plan.

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“I think that St. Vincent de Paul is a perfect example of you know whether it’s cold or whether you’re at your lowest, there always somebody out there, willing to care and love you, and that’s what we’re doing,” King said.

On top of volunteers, they also have case managers who work with their guests to help them find long-term housing.

The Extreme Cold Weather Plan will be in effect through Monday.